COMMERCE, 


AND 


BOSTON,  NOVEMBER  11,  1826. 


LABOR;  SUBSISTENCE;  &c. 


From  Niles’  Register,  Baltimore,  October  21,  1826. 


IT  has  afforded  me  great  satisfaction  to  observe  the  attention  a 
article  published  under  this  head  in  the  Register  of  the  23d  uh  and  the 
increased  circulation  which  has  been  given  to  it  through  the  columns  of 
f . her  papers.  The  matters  set  forth  in  that  essay  were  not  meant  as  " J 
hhcs  o/  THE  DAv’’_but,  in  the  plain  language  of  a plain  man  to"  nv  te  the 
people  to  a consideration  of  statistical  demonstrations  and  fects  which  ^ 
was  supposed,  ought  to  reach  the  heart  and  the  home  of  everv  rpfl^r’ 

£asi  sis;  ■“? 

tte  spnghtljimaginatio^of  our  feH^^UizensliT^k^ng^^somethin^lilce 

an  aggregale  ,dea  of  the  value  and  importanoe  of  them*  AndTwhen  these 

s^&SrSSSSS^S 

££-i0“;rr^ 

manufacture  of  St,?P,le  ,S  h,gher  becau9e  of  the  domestic 

ded  bv  the  tariff*  T ?}ton  !oweri  because  of  the  protection  affor- 

aed  by  the  tariff,  I go  further,  and  fearlessly  assert  generally— that  nil  tho 

r^nn  ? pf°  cheaper  to  the  consumer  because  of  that  protection  I 

cannot  suppose  that  this  will  be  disputed  by  any  one  who  if  reasonablv 

Ge°rman  b“‘  4°^  ' the /L'f°  lhaJ“beaf  upo^t  ‘“a 

a thing  Jury  oMjgS  1%^ 

the  probable  supply  ^f^anli  demand  for  Cotton1  savf-^*‘W  ’ °n  ^ ^“gustj. speaking  of 

opinion  that  the  revision  of  the  tariff  in  18^4  hno  iJ  cai1ir!0*;  re^ram  from  giving  it  as  our 

value  of  Cotton.  The  1 factorS^ ^ the  UniSrf  ^aSf^ee,,>f d Wllj  be,  the  means  enhancing  the 
will  England  manufacture SSTthan sh? ™*™facture  ^re}han  we  consume- 
rnotives  which  spur  her  on  to  preserve  her  i rp„„je ' ^re  there  not  ambitious  and  pecuniary 
thrown  two  of  the  greatest  cLmercSnat^n^'n  fW6"^,^  r?anufactures  ? Has  not  the  tariff 
ted  two  markets  in  the  place  of  one,  instead df  le^^}  Has  il  not  crea  * 

obliged  to  have  our  Cotton  or  let  the  United  States  suXt  her  in  Mdl>° rBrlta,n>  "ho  is  amv 


\ 


gument  against  the  necessity  which  passed,  or  the  advantages  that  have 
resulted  from  the  enactment  of  a law  to  protect  the  people  of  the  United 
States  again foreign  invasion , as  foreigners  protect  themselves  against  us. 
And,  because  that  I would  reason  on  these  matters,  I cannot  forget  that 
three  hundred  subscribers  were  lost  to  me,  though  nothing  like  resentment 
is  felt  because  of  the  difference  of  opinion,  or  of  feeling,  that  induced  such 
a striking  at  me  ; and  every  gentlemen  has  an  indubitable  right  to  afford  or 
withdraw  his  support  of  his  own  free  will  and  discretion,  and  no  one  may  ask 
him  why  or  wherefore  he  does  either.  But,  having  passed  through  this 
trial,  because  of  the  very  humble  part  that  1 took  in  supporting  what  I be- 
lieved were  national  interests,  a disposition,  perhaps  a determination,  has 
been  formed  to  maintain  and  advance  the  benefits  gained  at  so  great  a per- 
sonal loss — though  individually,  or  more  than  any  other  individual  in  busi- 
ness, laboring  for  a livelihood,  I have  no  interest  in  these  things.  Some, 
however,  who  left  me,  have  returned,  and  generously  repaired  the  damage 
which  they  did  in  the  manner  stated — and  I have  no  doubt  that  the  time  is 
ne  arly  at  hand,  when  every  intelligent  cotton-planter  will  hail  the  tariff  as 
his  last  protection,  and  receive  it  into  favor,  as  the  grain  grower  has  always 
entertained  it,  because  of  the  home  market,  able  and  willing  to  balance 
or  regulate  the  foreign  demand,  and  keep  up  the  prices  of  agricultural  pro- 
ducts— when,  without  the  encouragement  to  domestic  industry  afforded, 
briefly  measured  out  as  that  encouragement  is,  they  would  have  declined. 
True — it  is  still  fashionable  with  a few  to  declaim  against  the  tariff — so 
there  are  some  who  wear  breeches  and  long-top  boots,  and  others  that  have 
tails  attached  to  their  heads  curiously  bound  up  with  black  ribbands  or  eel- 
skins — but  if  you  ask  these  what  evil  hath  the  tariff  done  ? — they  are  as 
“ mute  as  frogs  frozen  up  in  a pond.1’  They  cannot  tell.  And  yet,  when 
they  feel  much  displeased  about  something — any  thing,  they  cry  out 
‘‘cursed  tariff,”  as  blundering  lawyer-boys  use  u your  honors”  when  ad- 
dressing a court.  1 do  not  speak  thus  concerning  those  who  opposed,  or 
oppose,  the  tariff  on  constitutional  grounds.  That  is  a matter  of  opin- 
ion—and  we  are  bound  to  treat  every  man’s  opinion  with  respect,  that 
our  own  may  be  kindly  received,  when  thought  ever  so  erroneous.  Refer- 
ence is  had  only  to  those  who  joined  to  reject  it  on  other  and  far  less  honor- 
able principles-— being  mercenary  or  sectional.  And  this  includes  two  classes 
of  persons,  one  located  in  the  east  and  the  other  in  the  south,  both  opposed 
to  the  middle  and  west— only  three  votes  being  in  favor  of  the  bill,  in  1824, 
from  the  three  states  of  Maine,  New-Hampshire  and  Massachusetts— 3 for 
and  22  against,  while  N.  York,  N.  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Kentucky  and 
Ohio,  gave  81  for  and  only  9 against  the  bill.  The  navigating  interest  was 
feared  in  the  east,  or  a worse  spirit,  one  of  a monopoly  of  protection , was 
indulged  ; but  in  the  south  there  was  an  indisposition  to  pass  the  law,  lest 
it  might  operate  partially,  and  to  the  injury  of  the  planting  interest  in  sel- 
ling and  buying.  The  result,  however,  is  that  both  parties  were  mistaken- 
altogether  mistaken,  in  their  views  of  that  momentous  measure.  The  middle 
and  the  west  were  right  ; they  will  sustain  what  by  long  and  faithful  perse- 
verance they  accomplished  ; and,  joined  more  or  less  by  the  convinced  east 
and  liberal  south,  will  make  the  support  of  internal  improvements  and  do- 
mestic manufactures  a sine  qua  non , let  the  government  be  administered  by 
whom  it  may — and  reasonably  extend  the  encouragement  afforded  as  expe- 
rience shall  justify  and  the  actual  state  of  things  demand.  We  will  not  a- 
gain  be  reduced  to  the  necessity,  as  it  were,  to  shut  our  eyes  that  we  may 
not  detect  smuggling  or  other  illicit  transactions,  that  those  called  upon  to 
defend  their  country  shall  have  clothes  to  cover  them  and  blankets  to  shield 
them  in  their  hours  of  rest,  as  was  the  case  during  the  late  war.  Old  preju- 
dices, however,  are  not  easily  eradicated,  and  time  must  be  allowed  to  cool 
down  irritated  feelings,  though  the  operating  causes  of  excitement  were  only 


imaginary.  I well  remember  it  was  haughtily  and  harshly  said  (in  the 
41  Richmond  Enquirer,”  I believe),  that  the  tariff  would  render  the  great 
state  of  Virginia  tributary  to  little  Rhode  Island — aye,  too,  add  at  the  very 
moment  when  the  capitalists  of  Waltham,  in  Massachusetts,  Sec.  were  op- 
posing the  tariff,  that  monopoly  might  rest  with  them.  But  what  are  its 
effects  ? The  best  market  for  Virgiuia  cotton  is  at  home—  Virginia  obtains 
cotton  goods  cheaper  than  ever  she  did,  and  the  nabobs  of  Waltham  are  ri- 
valed in  many  places  so  that  the  whole  manufacture  is  reduced  to  the  low- 
est point  of  profit  that  it  will  bear — so  low  that  we  undersell  the  British  in 
every  foreign  market  at  which  our  goods  are  received  on  the  same  terms  as 
their  o»cn,”*  These  unquestionable  facts  are  worth  a whole  library  of  spec- 
ulations, apply  them  as  any  one  pleases.  And  that  our  common  country 
prospers  on  account  of  them,  is  indisputable — though  so  little  has  been  done 
to  protect  the  national  industry,  compared  with  that  protection  which  exists 
in  other  countries,  with  whom  we  have  to  contend,  and  with  whom  we  must 
contender  cease  to  be  what  we  ar e—and  never  arrive  at  what  we  hope  to  be. 

In  supporting  the  tariff,  it  never  entered  into  my  understanding  that  it 
would  injure  any  class  of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  no  matter  what 
their  location  or  business  might  be.  On  the  contrary,  it  appeared  manifest 
that  it  would  apparently  benefit  the  grain-growing  States,  and  at  the  same 
time,  be  profitable  to  all  the  rest,  and  was  of  incalculable  national  impor- 
tance. If  some  districts  prosper  more  than  others  by  the  protection  afford- 
ed, and  none  are  injured— surely,  all  should  unite  to  push  on  that  prosperity. 
How  does  it  effect  South  Carolina,  that  the  coal  and  iron  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  her  canals,  are  about  to  be  brought  into  and  supply  a mighty  market,  at 
lower  prices  than  are  generally  paid  for  British  iron  ? because  that  the  tariff' 
protects,  and  only  protects,  the  maker  of  American  iron  against  ruinous 
fluctuations  of  prices,  by  gambling  adventurers,  or  the  cold  calculations  of 
heartless  foreigners  to  break  down  our  establishments  by  occasional  glut- 
tings  of  our  market,  and  then  to  make  us  pay  up  their  losses  with  swinging 
interest  on  the  monies  hazarded  by  them.  How  will  it  affect  Georgia,  if 
the  farmers  of  the  eastern  states  should  be  willing  to  take  off  the  duty  on  for- 
eign wool,  until  we  raise  enough  for  ourselves,  that  the  makers  of  woollen 
goods  may  be  relieved,  and  go  on  to  extend  their  business  ? What  will  it  take 
from  the  pockets  of  the  people  generally,  if  a heavy  duty  shall  be  laid  on 
all  such  foreign  goods  sold  by  auction,  as  interfere  with  the  regular  sales  of 
like  home  made  articles,  and  produce  ruinous  variations  in  the  sales  of  such 
goods  ? Let  these  questions  and  others  that  will  naturally  occur,  be  serious- 
ly considered.  Let  it  be  answered,  whether  it  is  better  that  we  should  pay 
500,000  dollars  a year  to  Europe  for  chemical  preparations,  which  now  are, 
or  are  about  to  be  made  in  Baltimore,  the  chief  materials  for  which  would 
otherwise  be  as  valueless  as  the  rude  rocks  seated  on  the  highest  peaks  of  the 
White  Mountains — and  especially  when  these  preparations  are  cheaper  and 
of  a superior  quality  than  the  imported.  There  must  be  a looking  to  these 
things — and  further  care  and  protection  ought  to  be  extended  as  expe- 
rience, the  best  teacher,  shall  dictate — until,  as  it  had  been  in  commerce 
and  navigation,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  coarse  cotton  goods,  we  can  rival 
and  surpass,  under-work  or  under-sell,  the  people  of  other  nations  with  whom 
we  are  placed  in  competition.  Give  fair  play  to  the  genius,  enterprise  and 
industry  of  the  American  character,  with  a paternal  and  liberal  government, 
which  shall  not  take  from  the  mouth  of  labour  the  bread  it  has  earned — 

* It  may  be  added;  ju9t  by  way  of  memorandum;  that  the  American  consumer  of  American 
cotton  goods,  purchases  them  at  about  half  the  price  which  goods  of  like  quality  cost  British 
consumers,  though  of  British  manufacture.  The  excise,  of  home-consumed  articles  is  110  per 
cent,  but  a bounty;  or  draw-back,  is  allowed  on  the  exportation.  And  so  rigid  is  the  law  a 
gainst  importations,  that  a friend  of  mine  had  to  pay  duty  on  a small  piece  of  muslin  with 
which  he  had  mended  a hole  in  his  mattrass  ! 


6 


and  no  competition  is  to  be  feared,  reciprocity  in  trade  existing,  And  we 
insist  that  it  shall.  This  is  what  our  merchants  contended  for,  and  ob- 
tained— and  this  is  what  our  farmers  will  have — that,  a foreign  market 
being  denied  for  their  products,  a home  demand  may  be  created  that  will 
more  certainly,  and  at  better  prices,  take  off  their  surplus  productions.  But 
we  shall  speak  more  pointedly  of  these  things  hereafter. 


GREAT  NATIONAL  INTERESTS. 

DESULTORY  REMARKS  AND  SCRAPS, 

Illustrative  of  the  progress  and  present  condition  of  manufactures  in  the 
United  States , and  concerning  internal  improvements , aiding  and  assist- 
ing evtry  branch  of  the  national  industry. 

The  making  of  the  New-York  canals  did  not  really  cost  the  people  of  the 
state  the  value  of  one  cent,  except  as  far  as  foreign  materials  may  have  been 
employed  in  the  construction  of  them,  or  for  that  small  portion  of  the  pro- 
fits on  labor  which  the  artists  and  laborers  may  have  carried  out  of  the  state. 
On  the  contrary  they  have  a large  and  wholesome  circulation  to  money,  and 
enriched  many  individuals  ! and  the  increased  value  of  property,  and  of 
profit,  resulting  from  them,  must  be  supposed  by  counting  up  hundreds  of 
millions  of  dollars,  if,  indeed,  the  benefits  of  them  be  within  supposition  at 
all  ! The  rise  in  the  value  of  lands  and  lots  on  their  borders— at  Albany, 
Troy,  Rochester,  Utica,  Buffalo,  and  an  hundred  new  and  thrifty  villages 
which  have  started  into  existence  as  if  created  by  magic— the  new  employ- 
ment of  tens  of  thousands  of  persons — the  new  commodities  transported  to 
market,  many  of  which,  of  great  value,  were  hitherto  as  quiescent,  or  use- 
less, because  of  the  want  of  such  market,  with  the  new  products  of  a teem- 
ing, busy,  bustling  and  happy  population — make  up  an  aggregate  of  benefits 
that  the  mind  cannot  grasp  with  any  degree  of  confidence  in  itself  ; and  to 
all  these  should  be  added,  the  wealth  and  power  caused  by  the  increased 
inhabitants  of  the  state  on  account  of  these  things  ; perhaps  directly  and  al- 
ready, to  the  number  of  three  or  four  hundred  thousand  persons  ! Such  are 
the  general  effects  of  canals,  roads  and  bridges.  And  besides,  the  revenue 
arising  from  tolls  will  not  only  pay  the  interest  on  the  money  expended,  but 
speedily  extinguish  the  debt,  and  then  supply  the  chief  part  of  all  the  funds 
required  for  the  support  of  the  government  of  New-York  1 These  canals 
cost  9, 123,000,  but  the  actual  debt  created  was  only  7,771,000,  the  interest 
payable  on  which  was  419,000 — but  the  tolls  of  the  present  year  will  amount 
to  a million  ! — and  the  business  of  the  canals  will  go  on,  on,  on,  and  in- 
crease every  year,  for  years  to  come,  until  the  utmost  shore  of  lake  Supe- 
rior teems  with  civilized  men,  and  cities  are  located  where  the  wolf  has  his 
home,  and  the  bear  takes  up  his  winter-quarters. 

Up  to  the  18th  August  last,  and  for  the  present  season,  about  9,000  tons 
of  coal,  4,000  tons  of  wheat,  2,000  tons  of  iron  ore,  1,500  tons  of  flour,  and 
4,000  tons  of  other  articles,  arrived  at  Philadelphia  by  the  improved  naviga- 
tion of  the  Schuylkill — one  hundred  vessels  laden  with  Schuylkill  coal  will 
have  arrived  at  New  York  from  Philadelphia,  during  the  present  season. 
What  is  the  new  profit,  or  value,  of  the  products  or  employments  caused  by 
this  comparatively  small  work,  yet  in  the  very  infancy  of  its  usefulness  ? 
What  the  amount  of  new  capital  put  into  useful  operation  ? Let  it  be  calcu- 
lated ! 

Some  particulars  might  be  given  about  other  canals  ; but  these  two  cases 
have  been  referred  to  only  to  shew  general  results,  and  they  speak  a Jan- 


7 


guage  that  cannot  be  mistaken — to  the  glory  of  those  who  have  supported 
INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENTS,  to  the  shame  of  some  who  have  opposed 
them,  and  the  (what  shall  I say  ?) — the  something  of  others  who  were  so 
much  interested  in  aiguing  while  others  were  employed  in  digging  ! But 
such  will  always  be  the  difference  between  talking  and  doing — the  talkers 
will  become  poorer  and  poorer,  and  the  doers  richer  and  richer.  One  spade 
full  of  earth  removed  in  New  York  or  Pennsylvania,  has  rendered  more  ser- 
vice, in  either  state,  than  a ten-column  essay  in  the  Richmond  u Enquirer*’ 
has  benefitted  Virginia.  The  policy  of  the  first,  is  to  make  even  a small 
state  a great  one  ; of  the  other,  to  reduce  a great  state  into  a small  one. 
Witness,  Vermont  and  New  York,  and  Maryland  and  Virginia.  Population 
and  power  and  wealth  will  centre  where  labor  is  honored,  and  business  a- 
bounds.  The  little  rough  and  rugged  state  of  Vermont,  has  had  as  great 
an  accession  of  citizens,  since  1790,  as  the  mighty  state  of  Virginia.— though 
the  capital  for  increase  in  the  latter  was  five  times  greater  than  the  former 
had  in  the  year  just  stated  ; and  as  to  Maryland,  Vermont  now  contains 
more  of  the  people  than  she  does,  though  the  first  numbered  208,000,  and 
the  last  only  85,000,  in  1790  ! These  things  speak  in  most  intelligible  lan- 
guage. Maryland  has  done  nothing,  (though  we  have  talked  much,)  infavor 
of  interna]  improvements,  or  to  encourage  domestic  industry,  except  thro’ 
the  public  spirit  of  some  private  individuals  located  in  Baltimore  or  Freder- 
ick— and.  by  a strange  waywardness  of  policy,  our  representatives  and  de- 
legates have  generally,  in  fact,  discouraged  those  who  would  have  effected 
them;  to  increase  the  population  and  wealth  of  the  state.  A great  field  is 
open  for  improvement  in  Maryland,  the  Susquehannah,  and  the  Potomac, 
and  the  abundance  of  water-power  adjacent  to  Baltimore,  with  our  valuable 
mines  and  minerals,  invite  capital  and  enterprise — and  they  must  be  prompt- 
ly exerted,  or  the  state  will  retrogade  yet  further  and  further. 

Albany  has  added  one  third  to  her  population  in  five  years,  since  1820 — 
and  which  now  is  17,600.  A large  number  of  houses  have  been  built  and  are 
building— yet  rents  have  advanced  fifty  per  cent,  since  1823.  It  is  suppos- 
ed that  135,000  persons,  (travellers,)  arrive  at  and  depart  from  this  city  in  a 
year.  3,336  canal  boats  arrived  from  the  opening  of  the  navigation  up 
to  the  1st  of  August.  Among  the  manufactures  of  Albany,  are  50,000  bar- 
rels of  beer  brewed,  and  120,000  morocco  skins  dressed,  annually!  The 
goods  sold  at  Albany  are  valued  at  five  millions  of  dollars  a year.  Troy 
prospers  like  Albany,  and  has  very  extensive  manufactures — and  one 
other  was  erecting  that  would  have  a capital  of  a million  of  dollars.  The 
imports  at  Troy  was  107,203  tons  of  articles  in  1825,  by  the  canals  and 
the  Hudson.  The  shores  of  this  noble  river,  the  line  of  the  canals — the 
borders  of  other  water  courses  and  of  the  lakes,  and  of  all  the  great 
roads,  abound  with  busy,  thrifty  and  happy  people,  collected  in  beautiful 
villages— living  plentifully,  and  having  much  to  spare.  A person  who  has 
travelled  in  Maryland,  only,  (in  one  or  two  counties  excepted)  when  he 
first  finds  himself  a little  beyond  the  Susquehannah,  seems  as  if  he  had 
gotten  into  a new  world 

There  are  about  100  sail  of  coasters  on  the  American  side  of  lake  Erie — 
500  will  be  required  after  the  Ohio  canal  is  finished,  and  fairly  in  use. 
Buffalo,  a mere  village  before  the  war,  has  5,000  inhabitants,  and  the  num- 
ber is  daily  increasing.  One  steam  boat  on  the  lake  had  not  sufficient  business 
two  years  since — six  are  now  well  employed.  We  shall  soon  have  ports  on 
Huron  and  Michigan.  Green  Bay  will  be  an  important  point,  and  Michili- 
mackinac  the  centre  of  a very  extensive  trade  which  will  pass  either  to  N. 
York,  Philadelphia,  or  New-Orleans,  by  canals  and  river  navigation,  every 
foot  of  the  way  ! A thousand  miles  of  space  has  beeD  reduced  as  if  to  fifty. 
Distance  is  subdued  by  science,  supported  by  public  spirit. 

By  means  of  the  canals  made,  or  making,  the  coal  trade  will  be  a mighty 


8 


business,  and  the  price  of  fuel  be  much  reduced  in  those  parts  where  wood 
is  becoming  scarce.  It  abounds  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Pitts- 
burg, and,  in  1822,  a million  of  bushels  were  used  by  10,000  inhabitants, 
including  the  manufactories — 1,500,000  bushels  will  probably  be  used  in  that 
city  during  the  present  year,  because  of  the  increased  population  and  busi- 
ness. What  then  will  the  great  cities  require  ? 

Salt  may  be  made  in  New-York,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia  and  the  western 
states,  amply  sufficient  to  meet  the  whole  consumption  of  the  country,  and 
will — so  soon  as  the  different  canals  are  completed.  The  price  at  the  works 
is  about  20  cents  per  bushel.  By  the  canals,  salt  will  be  furnished  on  the 
sea-board  and  sold  so  low,  that  a small  duty  upon  the  imported  article  will 
amount  to  a prohibition.  Its  manufacture  will  convert  otherwise  useless 
water  and  useless  coal  into  value, employ  some  tens  of  thousands  of  persons, 
and  annually  save  millions  of  money  to  our  country. 

It  is  probable  that  the  domestic  ccnsumption  of  cotton  in  the  present 
year,  [in  1816,  90,000  bales,]  will  amount  to  about  or  more  than  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  bales — possibly,  to  175,000.  Next  year,  unless 
because  of  some  unlooked-for  events,  to  200,000  ! Suppose  this  were  thrown 
into  the  European  market ! The  price  of  cotton,  paid  to  our  planters,  by 
our  own  manufactures,  has  been  greater  on  the  average,  than  they  have 
received  of  the  British  purchasers  of  their  staple.  About  30,000  bales  an- 
nually arrive  at  Providence,  R.  I.  for  the  mills  in  the  neighborhood.  Many 
single  establishments  at  other  places  use  1,000 — some  1500,  some  2000  ! 

The  consumption  at  Baltimore  is  4000. 

We  have  applied  cotton  to  the  manufacture  of  several  new  articles  of 
great  importance  to  the  American  growers  of  the  article.  Among  them  are 
canvass,  for  the  sails  of  ships,  and  many  sorts  of  ropes.  It  answers  excel- 
lently well. 

The  average  export  of  our  cotton  for  seven  years,  has  been  equal  to 
about  380,000  bales — so  that  the  present  home  consumption  may  nearly 
amount  to  one  third  of  the  whole  quantity  raised , and  we  think  that  jt  does. 

At  Saco,  in  Maine,  a company,  with  a capital  of  160,000,  are  at  work 
building  houses  and  making  machinery  as  fast  as  they  can.  There  are  sever-  1 

al  valuable  establishments  in  this  state. 

There  are  between  50  and  60  cotton  and  woollen  factories  in  New- 
Hampshire,  and  it  is  supposed  that  they  make  33*000,000  yards  of  cloth 
per  annum.  In  1810,  the  quantity  made  was  only  4,274,185  yards.  At 
Dover,  21,000  spindles  and  750  power  looms,  were  lately  at  work,  or  pre- 
paring. At  Salmon  Falls,  a village  with  1,600  inhabitants  has  jumped  up.* 

Many  mills  are  building  with  brick — one  finislted  is  39u  by  49,  another  220 
by  49,  and  six  stories  high  ! At  New  Market  there  is  also  a new  village 
with  1,000  inhabitants — the  capital  of  this  last  company  is  $600,000,  This 
establishment  now  makes,  or  speedily  will  make,  3,600  yards  of  cloth,  daily 
— though  it  has  only  just  started,  as  it  were.  When  the  works  are  complet- 
ed, a million  and  a half  of  yards  of  cloth,  v4H  be  made  in  a year  at 
New-Market. 

The  capital  vested  in  manufactures  in  Massachusetts,  including  the  new 
works,  may  be  estimated  at  between  twenty-five  and  30  millions  of  dollars 
— the  factories  in  1824,  were  161.  At  Lowel,  1,700,000  dollars  have  been 
recently  employed  At  Waltham  about  the  same  sum  ; its  stock  has  been 
sold  at  40  per  cent  above  par.  At  Merrimack,  1,200,000,  all  paid  in  ; the 
Hamilton  company  has  600,000.  At  Taunton,  250  pieces  of  calico  are 
made  daily — employing  1,000  persons  ! — The  furnaces  at  Wareham  make 

* At  Somersworth,  where  th.ee  years  ago  it  was  a wilderness,  there  are  at  this  time  2000  in- 
habitants, and  in  addition  to  the  large  Cotton  factories  now  in  operation,  there  are  two  Woollen 
factories  (one  of  which  is  already  completed)  capable  of  making,  daily,  800  yards  Broadcloth — 

600  Cassimere,  1000  Sattinetts,  and  500  Carpets. 


9 


4,000  tons  of  metal  annually,  and  there  are  two  rolling  and  slitting  mills 
and  three  forges  at  the  same  place  with  large  cotton  mills,  fulling  mill,  &c. 
Several  villages,  with  from  1,000  to  1500  inhabitants  have  been  built  within 
a few  years,  all  whose  inhabitants  were  employed  or  subsisted  by  the  fac- 
tories. A busy,  healthful  population  teems  on  spots,  over  which  a rabbit,  a 
little  while  since,  could  hardly  have  made  his  way — 7,000  lbs.  of  powder 
were  expended  at  one  place  in  one  year,  in  blowing  rocks  ! The  annual 
product  of  the  glass  works  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  is  450,000  dollars,  and 
there  are  large  establishments  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  [To  give  an  idea 
of  the  magnitude  of  some  of  these  establishments,  we  shall  observe,  that 
five  great  mills  have  already  been  erected  at  Merrimack,  only  three  of 
which  are  yet  in  full  operation — but  each  of  these  make  2,500  yards  of 
cloth  daily  ! In  one  machine-making  shop  a ton  of  castings  is  used  up  every 
day  ! Some  of  the  woollen  factories  are  also  very  large,]* 

The  manufactories  of  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut  and  Vermont  make  up 
a large  amount  of  capital.  In  Rhode  Island  there  are  about  ninety  cotton 
mills,  and  new  ones  are  building  ! We  venture  to  assert  that  the  surplus  pro- 
duct of  the  people  of  Rhode  Island,  aided  as  they  are  by  scientific  power,  is 
of  greater  value  than  the  surplus  products  of  the  whole  state  of  Virginia,  in 
whjch  that  power  is  notmuch  used.  By  “ surplus”  I mean  a value  beyond 
what  is  required  for  the  subsistence  of  the  people.  One  person,  assisted  by 
machinery,  is  equal  to  from  100  to  200  without  it.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
persons  are  employed  in  making  lace  at  Newport.  R.  I.  It  is  made  at  several 
places  splendid,  and  as  good,  and  at  a less  price  than  the  imported.  Provi- 
dence is,  perhaps,  the  richest  town  of  its  size  in  the  world — and  its  pop- 
ulation rapidly  increases. 

The  whole  manufacturing  establishments  in  Providence  and  its  neigh- 
borhood (including  a small  district  in  Massachusetts)  are  one  hundred  and 
fifty , or  more  : and  the  persons  employed  in  them  are  between  25  and 
30,000!  A canal  about  to  be  made  into  the  interior  of  Massachusetts  will 
greatly  add  to  the  business  of  Providence. 

On  the  12th  September  last  three  thousand  packages  of  cotton  and  wool- 
len, or  mixed  domestic  goods  were  sold  at  Boston,  at  public  auction— in 
part  made  up  of  the  following  articles — 351  pieces  of  superfine  and  fine 
broadcloths,  of  various  colors  ; 20  packages  and  103  pieces  cassimere  • 98 
packages  cloths  ; 22  packages  and  1,014  pieces  satinets  and  Oxford  mixt  • 
21  packages  of  flannels  ; 118  pieces  of  kerseys  ; 433  packages  of  cotton  • 
474  do.  prints  and  fancies,  (many  of  these  were  of  fine  colors  and  beautiful 
figures  ; 123  packages  and  107  cases  sheetings  ; 88  packages  and  95  bales 
shirtings;  104  packages  checks  & stripes;  154  do.  tickings;  56  do.  °-inghams  * 
18  do.  blue  nankins,  11  do.  haresback  ; 2 do.  swanskins ; 6 cases  plaids ; 26 
do.  hats ; 10  do.  lead  pencils  ; 264  silk  umbrellas  ; 20  gross  boot  webbing ; 2 
bbls.  refined  saltpetre  ; 2 bbls.  allum  ; 1 do.  red  lead  ; 1 do.  camphor  ;*  1 
do.  borax. 

After  these  remained  for  sale  the  next  and  succeeding  days — cases  con- 
taining 57,827  pairs  of  boots,  and  men’s  and  ladies’s  shoes;  1,803  sides  of 
leather ; 429  doz.  and  1,808  leather  and  morocco  skins ; 134  groce  boot 
webbing  ; 2 bales  and  4 cases  shoe-thread,  and  69  trunks— many  thousand 
pounds  of  wool,  152  casks  American  olive  oil,  &c.  fee. 

Besides  the  above,  a great  variety  of  mahogany  and  other  furniture  ; «-lass 
and  other  wares  ; looking  glasses,  time  pieces,  &c.  wrere  exhibited.  * ° 

* At  the  Boston  and  Canton  Woollen  Factory  at  Canton,  Mass.  600,000  yards  of  Negro  Cloths 
are  now  made  annually  and  other  machinery  is  in  a state  of  forwardness  to  complete  400  000 
more  making  1,000,000  yards.  The  proprietors  of  the  Saxon  and  Leicester  Factory  are  now 
putting  machinery  into  their  mill  which  will  enable  them  to  complete  400,000  yards  of  the  same 
article  per  annum  ; thus  in  two  factories  in  Massachusetts  no  less  than  one  million  four  hundred 
thousand  yards  of  narrow  Woollen  Cloth  will  be  manufactured  yearly  ! 
n 


10 


At  Providence,  on  the  11th  September,  two  hundred  packages  of*  domes- 
tic ticks,  shirtings,  flannels,  plaids,  sheetings,  satinets,  &c.  were  sold  at 
auction. 

At  New  York,  one  thousand  packages  of  domestic  goods  were  sold  at 
auction,  on  the  10th  October,  instant.* 

[Mr.  Webster,  at  a late  public  dinner,  gave  the  following  appropriate  and 
veritable  sentiment. 

“ The  mechanics  and  manufacturers  of  New  England — Men  who  teach  us 
how  a little  country  is  to  be  made  a great  one.” 

The  females  employed  in  the  factories  are  remarkable  for  the  propriety 
of  their  conduct — to  be  suspected  of  bad  behaviour  is  to  be  dismissed.] 

The  cotton  and  woollen  cloths  made  in  New  York  are  valued  at  from  15 
to  18,000,000  dollars  per  ann.  There  are  large  manufactories  of  iron,  wool, 
cotton,  leather,  glass,  paper,  &c.  &c.  One  brewery  at  Newburg  covers 
7,500  square  feet  of  ground.  Hudson  teems  with  manufacturing  establish- 
ments, and  the  splendid  cotton  and  woollen  works  at  Matteawan  are  fa- 
mous— they  support  a large  population.  Duchess,  Oneida  and  many  other 
counties,  are  filled,  with  factories. 

At  Jersey  city,  opposite  New  York,  there  are  several  great  factories — 
among  them  one  of  glass,  employs  100  persons,  and  a capital  of  $200,000; 
one  of  beautiful  porcelain  about  the  same  number  ; one  of  wool  which  has 
a capital  of  $400,000,  and  turns  out  2,500  yards  of  carpeting  weekly  l 
[These  are  New  York  establishments.] 

At  Patterson,  N.  Y.  there  are  15  cotton  mills  requiring  1,500,000  lbs.  of 
cotton  annually  to  supply  them,  with  700  power  and  hand  looms  ; 58,831 
yards  of  cotton  are  made  weekly.  The  flax  factories  consume  460,000  lbs. 
of  flax  annually,  (chiefly  imported  /)  and  make  406,560  yards  of  duck.  There 
are  other  great  works  of  iron,  &c.  The  weekly  wages  of  persons  in  the 
factories  is  3,680  dollars,  and  to  the  weavers  out  of  the  factories  970  ; to- 
gether 4,650.  Patterson  is  a large  and  thrifty  town,  and  wealthy,  because 
of  the  products  of  the  labor  of  the  people,  who  are  very  industrious. 

A bleaching  establishment  was  lately  made  at  Belleville.  The  house  is  of 
hewn  stone,  263  feet  long  and  three  stories  high  ! 

A grand  display  of  manufactures  has  just  been  made  at  the  Franklin  Insti- 
tute, Philadelphia.  It  was  estimated  that  the  rooms  were  visited  by  seven 
thousand  persons  in  one  day,  and  the  crowd  was  great  during  the  whole 
time  of  the  exhibition.  Cloths,  cottons,  glass  wares,  porcelain,  silks,  works  in 
wood,  in  metals,  and  of  almost  every  description  of  materials,  many  of  the 
very  best  and  most  beautiful  kinds,  were  shewn  and  in  astonishing  va- 
riety and  quantity.  A piece  of  black  cloth  was  rapidly  sold  off  at  12£  dol- 
lars a yard.  All  these  things  were,  of  course,  of  American  manufacture. 

In  the  little  county  of  Delaware,  there  are  157  mills  and  factories  ; five 
of  the  factories  employ  1,038  persons  ; one  of  them  has  200  power  looms. 

Four  thousaud  weavers  find  employment  in  Philadelphia ; and  several 
new  villages  of  manufactures  have  been  built  in  the  neighborhood.  Among 
them  Manyunk,  with  2,000  inhabitants.  The  furnaces  of  Huntingdon 
county,  only,  make  6,000  tons  of  iron,  annually.  There  are  165  hatters  in 
the  small  town  of  Reading. 

The  city  of  Pittsburg  contains  1,873  buildings  and  12,796  inhabitants. 
One  paper  mill  employs  190  persons  ; there  are  seven  other  paper  mills  in 
the  city  or  its  immediate  neighborhood ; seven  rolling  and  slitting  mills, 
eight  air  foundries,  six  steam  engine  factories,  one  large  wire  factory,  seven 
glass  works,  &c.  Some  of  these  are  mighty  establishments  ; one  of  them 
has  two  steam  engines,  of  100  and  120  horse  power  to  drive  the  machinery  ! 
One  of  the  factories  at  Pittsburg  makes  glass  to  the  value  of  160,000  dollars 


* In  this  sale  were  400  bales  of  Flannels, 


u 


a year ; and  others  do  nearly  as  much  business.  The  whole  glass  manu 
facture  in  the  United  States  is  worth  not  less  than  three  millions  annually. 

The  breweries  at  Philadelphia  do  business  to  the  amount  of  $300,000, 
and  the  umbrella  makers  to  the  value  of  400,000  dollars  a year  ! The  work? 
to  water  the  city  have  (in  all)  cost  $1,443,585.  There  were  thirty  cotton 
factories  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city  in  1824,  and  they  have  been  con- 
siderably increased  or  intended  since  that  time.  Some  of  them  are  great 
establishments. 

Delaware  has  many  valuable  cotton  mills — several  important  woollen  factories 
and  of  paper,  &.c.  The  powder  works  of  Mr.  Dupont  afe  said  to  be  the  largest 
in  the  world  ; and  there  are  few  more  extensive  establishments  for  making  paper 
than  one  of  those  on  the  Brandywine. 

In  Maryland,  there  are  various  large  and  respectable  factories  in  Cecil,  Balti- 
more, Frederick  and  Washington  counties — but  we  cannot  give  many  particulars, 
just  now. 

All  advances  on  the  value  of  the  raw  materials  are  profits  to  individuals,  or 
exhibit  amounts  paid  for  labor  and  subsistence,  which  ai  2 as  profits  to  the  nation. 
A friend  has  furnished  the  following  estimate  of  increased  values  produced  at 
Baltimore,  and  its  immediate  neighborhood — 


cotton 

$296,000 

Wool 

40,000 

Chemicals 

190,000- 

Iron,  (exclusive  of  castings) 

200,000 

Copper 

130,000 

856,000f 

And  we  have  the  sum  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  six  thousand  dollars,  which 
are  as  if  annually  created  by  these  few  manufactures,  and  thrown  into  rapid  and 
wholesome  circulation,  and  which,  as  the  greater  part  of  it  is  paid  for  wages, 
may  be  said  to  be  perpetually  changing  hands,  and  this  is  the  life  of  trade.  I 
ask,  what  would  be  the  condition  of  Baltimore,  if  instead  of  the  creation  of 
almost  a million  a year,  it  was  required  that  we  should  pay  that  sum  to  others 
for  their  manufactures,  through  labor  applied  to  other  purposes  than  in  manufac- 
tures ? What  other  labor  should  we  resort  to?  As  heretofore  supposed,  I esteem 
it  very  nearly  the  truth,  to  say — that  the  increased  value  of  commodities  caused 
by  the  manufactures  of  Baltimore,  amounts  to  two  millions  of  dollars  a year. 
What  would  Baltimore,  at  this  time,  be  without  this  employment  and  profit  of 
labor,  these  two  millions  of  earnings  to  pay  expenses  ? Small  as  our  manufac- 
tures are  compared  with  what  they  ought  to  be,  they  are,  at  present,  of  greater 
importance  to  us  than  any  other  business  that  we  do — and  without  them,  we 
should  be  u fiat  ” indeed. 

When  the  new  establishment  at  Baltimore  is  fairly  and  fully  at  work,  it  is 
thought  our  chemical  preparations  will  produce  about  500,000  dollars  a year. 
There  are  large  factories  at  other  places,  especially  in  and  near  Philadelphia. 
It  is  believed  that  of  chemical  preparations,  including  paints,  and  other  things 
sold  by  apothecaries,  druggists  and  colormen,  we  export  about  as  great  a value 
as  we  import. 

Many  extensive  iron  works  are  going  into  operation  in  the  northern  part  of 
Ohio , in  consequence  of  the  market  about  to  be  opened  by  the  canals.  There 
are  large  establishments  of  various  kinds  at  Steubenville  and  Cincinnati,  and 
respectable  ones  scattered  through  the  country,  and  the  flocks  of  sheep  of  Mr. 
Dickinson  and  others,  are  justly  famous.  Mr.  D’s  is,  perhaps,  the  best  and  most 
valuable  in  the  United  States.  In  Jefferson  county,  in  which  Steubenville  is  lo- 
cated, there  are  25,000  sheep.  Mr.  Dickinson’s  flock  is  3,000.  At  Steubenville, 
besides  the  great  cloth  manufactory,  there  are  2 steam  flour  mills,  2 do.  cotton 

* The  gross  amount  of  sales  of  these  Articles  is  about  220,000 — so  that  only  30,000  dollars  is 
the  cost  ot  the  foreign  materials  : all  else  is  profit  or  capital,  or  money  paid  for  labor. 

t The  gross  product  of  these  five  articles  named,  in  which  the  cost  of  materials  used  is  added, 
is  about  as  follows — cottons  428,000,  woollens  70,000,  chemicals  220,000,  iron  350,000,  copper 
200,000-in  all], 268, 000  dollars.  ’ 


12 


mills,  1 do.  paper  mill,  2 breweries,  2 copperas  manufactories,  1 air  foundry, 
1 steam  engine  factory,  1 machine  factory,  2 carding  machines,  &,c.  some  of 
them  very  extensive.  There  are  numerous  valuable  factories  in  Kentucky,  In- 
diana and  Tennessee — and  some  in  western  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  &c.  but 
we  have  little  or  not  any  particular  information  concerning  them. 

The  following  articles  in  addition  to  these  mentioned  are  made  in  quantities 
equal  to  the  consumption — leather  and  all  it  manufactures — hats,  lead,  shot  and 
other  preparations  of  it — cannon,  muskets,  rifles  swords  and  other  military  ac- 
coutrements— printing  types  and  all  that  is  needful  for  the  business  of  printers 
— almost  all  manufactures  of  wood,  with  many  of  iron,  brass  and  other  metals, 
useful  or  ornamental,  ponderous  or  light,  for  steam  engines  of  an  120  horse  pow- 
er down  to  candlesticks  or  a sprig  an  eighth  of  an  inch  long,  including  most  of 
the  implements  of  agriculture,  a great  deal  of  cutlery,  and  some  of  the  finest 
fabncks — gun  powder : a long  list  might  be  added,  but  the  articles  do  not  occur 
to  us  just  now.  Among  them,  however,  are  sundry  small  things  which  make  up 
an  aggregate  of  millions. 

Before  the  perfect  establishment  of  the  cotton  manufacture  in  the  United 
States,  those  kind  of  goods  which  now  sell  for  12  cents,  cost  the  consumers  25 
cents  ! Cotton,  for  the  last  two  or  three  years,  has  averaged  a greater  price  for 
American  consumption  than  it  sold  for  in  Europe ! Let  the  planter  look  to 
this — it  is  true. 

in  .1815,  in  a congressional  report,  it  was  estimated  that  200,000  persons  were 
employee  in  the  cotton  and  woollen  manufactories  of  the  United  States  ! The 
present  nurauer  engaged  in  all  sorts  of  manufactories  cannot  be  less  than  two 
millions.  What  a market  do  they  create.  We  shall  attempt  to  calculate  it  here- 
after. 

The  hats,  caps  and  bonnets,  of  straw  or  grass,  manufactured  in  the  United 
States,  employ  about  25,000  persons,  chiefly  females,  and  produce  $825,000,  in 
Massachusetts,  only  ! The  whole  value  of  this  manufacture  is,  probably,  about 
a million  and  a half  yearly. 

The  quantity  of  flannel  now  made  in  the  United  States  is  considerably  great- 
er than  the  whole  importation  ever  amounted  to — as  reported  at  the  custom 
houses.  [In  five  towns  in  Massachusetts,  viz.  Amesbury,  Salisbury,  Andover, 
Haverhill  and  Billerica,  there  have  been  manufactured  the  present  year,  31,200 
pieces  flannels,  of  46  yards  each,  and  the  additional  machinery  now  in  a state 
of  forwardness,  will  enable  the  proprietors  to  complete  during  the  next  year, 
17,500  pieces  more,  making  in  all,  very  nearly  50,000. 

These  establishments  are  all  included  within  a space  of  17  miles  square,  and 
empoly  2100  persons. — The  capital  invested  in  them,  is  $950,000.] 

Silk  begins  to  be  extensively  cultivated  in  several  of  the  states.  The  silk 
raised  and  manufactured  in  the  town  of  Mansfield,  Con.  in  1825,  was  3,000  lbs. 
worth  $15,000,  and  in  Windham  county,  in  the  same  state,  silk  worth  $54,000 
a year.  We  have  seen  fine  specimens  from  North  Carolina  and  one  from  Mis- 
souri. It  is  a very  profitable  cultivation,  and  nearly  the  whole  business  is  done 
by  women  and  children,  w ho  would  otherwise  be  idle,  and  so  it  is  pretty  nearly 
a clear  gain.  One  acre  of  land  planted  with  mulbury  trees,  will  feed  as  many 
worms  as  will  make  silk  worth  $200,  in  a good  season. 

The  consumption  of  silks  in  the  United  States  is  valued  at  nearly  eight  mil- 
lions per  annum.  The  chief  part  of  this  might  be  procured  at  home,  and  pre- 
pared for  the  market,  without  any  considerable  dimunition  (and  perhaps,  with- 
out any  dimunition  at  all)  of  labor  given  to  other  purposes.  One  acre  of  mul- 
berry trees  will  feed  as  many  worms  as  will  yield  40  tbs.  of  silk,  worth  $5  per  lb. 
or  $200 — the  whole  labor  of  attending  to  and  preparing  it,  being  estimated  at 
114  dollars. 

There  are  probably  not  less  than  fifteen  millions  of  sheep  in  the  United  States, 
and  their  numbers  is  increasing,  though  the  price  of  woollen  goods  is  very  low — 
too  low.  But  our  farmers  must  raise  less  grain,  and  more  of  other  articles  than 
heretofore.  Flax  is  exceedingly  w anted — we  import  large  quantities  for  our 
manufactories  It  is  abundantly  proved  in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia 
and  York,  Pa.  Georgetown,  (Col.)  Vevay,  Indiana,  &c.  that  the  vine  will 
flourish,  and  that  excellent  wine  umy  be  made  in  the  United  States  and  20,000 


13 


hands  detached  from  the  cultivation  of  wheat  to  that  of  the  vine,  would  make 
a great  difference  in  the  general  products  of  our  agriculture.  The  olive  begins 
to  be  cultivated  as  a crop  in  the  south,  and  the  Palma  Christi  grows  bountifully. 
A moderate  degree  of  attention  to  a few  new  articles  of  agriculture,  would  save 
us  from  five  to  eight  millions  of  dollars  a year,  and  be  so  much,  of  a clear  gain. 
The  cultivation  of  the  vine,  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  cities,  wherein  the 
grapes  may  be  sold,  is  wonderfully  profitable.  Half  an  acre  of  land,  Mr.  Carr’s 
vineyard,  near  Philadelphia,  produced  260  gallons  of  wine,  the  value  of  which, 
with  that  of  the  grapes  sold,  is  estimated  at  #670,  for  the  present  year : one  vine 
yielded  300  lbs.  of  fine  grapes.  Mr.  Eichelberger’s  vineyard  near  York,  Pa.  has 
produced  180  gallons  of  wine  per  acre,  besides  grapes  sold,  &.c.  Mr.  E.  has 
several  acres  under  cultivation  and  is  extending  his  vine-fields.  Some  of  his 
neighbors  are  so  doing  and  like  wisely. 

The  population  of  Vermont  has  probably  doubled  since  1800,  though  it  increa- 
sed slowly  until  very  lately,  when  the  breeding  of  sheep  and  the  manufacture  of 
iron,  wool,  copperas,  &tc.  &c.  began  to  flourish.  This  little  mountain-state  will 
soon  be  a strong  one.  It  was  very  poor,  but  is  gathering  wealth  rapidly.  The 
northern  canal  of  New  York  is  doing  wonders  for  it,  Seventy  tons  of  wool  were 
shipped  from  the  town  of  Middlebury  to  New  York,  &.C.  though  within  the  town 
are  several  woollen  factories,  and  3 great  cotton  factories,  one  of  them  capable 
of  holding  10,500  spindles  : 4,800  spindles  were  at  work  at  this  place  in  August 
last. 

It  may  generally  be  observed,  that  migrations  from  the  eastern  and  middle 
Atlantic  states  to  the  west  are  not  nearly  so  common  as  they  were,  except  to 
particular  sections.  Employment  and  profit  is  found  at  home.  The  facts  shewn 
at  the  next  census  will  probably  surprise  even  those  who  may  have  calculated 
the  probable  population  of  the  several  states. 

The  capital  vested  in  manufactories  in  1820  was  thought  to  amount  to  about 
75,000,000  dollars.*  The  following  is  a rough  estimate  of  the  present  probable 
amount  of  the  capital  employed  in  them — derived  from  various  sources,  and 
made  up  after  considerable  reflection — but  sometimes  without  any  data  except 
drawn  from  ray  own  opinions.  Truth,  however,  has  been  aimed  at,  and  correc- 
tions will  be  thankfully  received.  By  manufactories,  1 exclude  what  we  usually 
consider  as  the  mechanic  arts. 


* It  exceeded  that  sum — but  in  that  severe  year  the  value  of  property  in  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment* was  so  reduced  that,  perhaps,  the  money  price  might  have  been  so  estimated. 


STATES. 

Maine 

New  Hampshire 

Massachusetts 

Rhode  Island 

Connecticut 

Vermont 

New  York 

New  Jersey 

Pennsylvania 

Delaware 

Maryland 

Virginia 

North  Carolina 

South  Carolina  and  Georgia 

Alabama,  Louisiana  and  Mississippi 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Ohio 

Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri 


Capital. 

2,000,000 

6,000,000 

26,000,000 

7.000. 000 

5.000. 000 

4.000. 000 
28,000,000 

5.000. 000 
30,000,000 

2.500.000 

8.000. 000 
8,000,000 
2,000,000 
2,000,000 
1,000,000 

5.000. 000 

3.000. 000 

9.000. 000 

3.500.000 


Total 


156,500,000 


14 


This  table  was  made  up  without  any  prospective  regard  to  its  aggregate — but 
I felt  pleased  when  it  was  shewn  to  be  156,500,000  dollars,  having  often  thought 
that  the  capital  vested  in  the  manufactures  of  the  United  States  was  between  one 
hundred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  millions  dollars,  real  money  or  ac- 
tual value  invested  and  employed.  But  let  it  be  understood  that  the  aggregate, 
as  well  as  almost  every  location  of  parts  of  it, chiefly  rests  upon  opinion, and  are 
not  given  other  than  as  an  attempt  to  make  an  estimate.  But  there  are  various 
quasi  authorities  for  some  of  the  dicta — such  as  the  imperfect  returns  of  the 
marshals  in  1820,  the  companies  incorporated  in  some  of  the  states— the  local 
or  state  censuses  of  others,  and  many  additional  sources  affording  some  partial 
lights  to  lead  us  into  reasonable  conclusions. 

In  the  amount  is  meant  to  be  included  works  and  establishments  for  the  manu- 
facture of  iron,  and  all  other  metals  and  minerals,  of  cotton,  wool,  grain,  (ex- 
cept flour,)  leather,  glass,  paper,  gunpowder,  &.C.  and  generally  all  those  things 
made  in  quantities  for  sale,  and  not  by  mechanics  proper,  unless  employed  in 
large  factories  and  doing  other  than  what  is  called  “ customers’  work.”  The 
items  of  flour,  sugar,  &c.  are  excluded,  as  rather  belonging  to  the  agriculture 
than  the  manfactures  of  the  country.  The  anuual  product  of  this  capital,  may 
be  put  down  at  more  than  $200,000,000 — family  manufactures  not  included.  In 
1816,  it  was  supposed  that  the  capital  vested  in  the  cotton  manufactures  was  forty 
millions,  and  in  that  of  wool  twelve  millions,  producing  a yearly  value  of  be- 
tween 50  and  60  millions.  And  the  present,  an  aggregate  of  200  millions  will 
not  appear  large,  when  we  recollect  that  it  is  to  be  divided  among  12  millions  of 
persons — and  if  we  add  100  millions  more  for  family  manufactures  and  imported 
articles,  there  will  be  only  25  dollars  for  each,  to  supply  materials  for  clothing, 
some  things  for  food,  with  whiskey,  rum,  beer,  &c.  most  of  the  tools  and  imple- 
ments of  farmers  and  mechanics,  numerous  articles  of  furniture,  and  others  for 
the  building  or  repair  of  our  houses,  &lc.  Indeed,  viewing  these  things  somewhat 
in  detail,  1 am  convinced  that  the  aggregate  annual  produce  of  our  manufactories, 
properly  so  called,  is  much  more  than  200  millions  of  dollars — perhaps  may 
more  nearly  amount  to  300  millions/ 

What  then  would  be  the  state  of  our  country,  if  our  work-shops  were  in 
Europe  ? We  should  have,  as  it  were,  to  live  in  caves  and  be  clothed  in 
skins.  But  we  shall  speak  of  these  things  hereafter — the  whole  intent  of 
my  present  undertaking  being  to  afford  some  faint  idea  of  the  importance 
of  the  manufacturing  interest,  and  to  show  the  people  what  has  been  done 
by  the  encouragement  of  the  national  industry,  that  they  may  more  and 
more  attend  to  the  subject,  and  resolve  that  their  public  agents,  whether  of 

*1  offer  the  following  calculation  of  a solitary  item,  to  shew  the  means  often  resorted  in  order  to 
bring  out  the  mighty  aggregates  which  I am  sometimes  compelled  to  send  forth  as  dicta,  when  on 
political  economical  subjects,  and,  by  ascertaining  one  thing,  or  a few  things,  by  the  assumption 
of  reasonable  data,  we  arrive  not  so  far  from  the  truth  as  many  might  suppose,  if  they  should  not 
take  the  trouble  to  calculate  particular  items  for  themselves. 

Thus — 

There  are  12  millions  of  persons  in  the  United  States  who  use  shirts,  or  something  in  lieu  there- 
of. I shall  divide  them  in  four  classes — 

1 — two  millions  who  annually  consume  15  yards  of  linen,  5 shirts  each,  at  50  cents  per  yard  being 
30  millions  of  yards  or  $15,000,000.  This  is  moderate,  I think — many  use  30  yards  at  60  or  70  cts. 
I myself  about  21  yards . 

2 four  millions  at  9 yards  each,  at  thirty  cents,  making  3 shirts  each — 36  millions  of  yards  and 

10,800,000.  dollars. 

3 —  3 millions  at  6 yards,  at  20  cts.  2 shirts  each,  18  millions  of  yards  or  $3,600,000. 

4 —  3 millions  (children,  &c.)  at  4 yards  each,  at  20  cents,  2 shirt  each,  12  millions  of  yards,  or 
2,400,000  dollars. 

The  aggregate  of  these  is  $31,800,000.  Is  the  calculation  unreasonable  ? Let  each  one  examine 
his  own  uses  for  himself.  But  if  any  one  supposes  that  I have  allowed  him  too  much,  in  his  class, 
he  will  deduct  what  he  pleases  ! — or,  on  the  other  hand,  take  as  much  as  he  likes.  Several  mil- 
lions might  be  spared  from  this  particular  item  without  affecting  the  general  aggregate  suppossed, 
as  will  appear  manifest  to  any  one  who  will  attempt  a view  of  the  whole  subject,  and  apply 
figures  to  it,  . 

The  quantity  of  flax  or  cotton  cloths,  required  for  shirts,  & c.  is  perhaps,  about  twice  as  much 
ns  is  needful  in  families  for  sheets,  table-cloths,  towels,,  tickings,  and  all  other  common  house- 
hold purposes — and  hence  it  seems  reasonable  to  believe  that  the  white  (or  uncolored),  linen  or 
cotton  goods  annually  consumed  by  the  people  of  the  United  States,  may  be  of  the  value  of  about 
forty-five  millions  of  dollars. 


15 


the  general  government  or  of  the  states,  shall  rather  accelerate  than  impede 
the  .progress  of  things  so  indispensable  to  the  general  welfare — so  insepara- 
bly connected  with  the  employment  and  profit  of  every  citizen  of  the 
United  States. 

The  export  of  American  manufactured  goods  amounts  to  several  millions. 
The  Salem  Register  thus  neatly  and  briefly  sums  up  certain  important  and 
well  established  facts — 

u We  learn  that  an  intelligent  foreign  gentleman,  who  brought  samples  of 
such  of  our  domestic  goods  from  the  West  Coast  of  South  America  as  are 
saleable  there,  took  them  to  Waltham,  and  ascertained  the  prices  at  which 
they  could  be  made.  He  afterwards  took  them  to  Manchester,  in  England, 
and  found  that  goods  of  the  same  quality  could  not  be  afforded  there  at  tire 
prices  they  are  now  selling  for  in  this  country.  They  told  him  they  could 
make  goods  resembling  them,  but  the  quality  of  the  cotton  would  not  be  so 
good.  We  understand  that  it  has  been  recommended  to  send  our  domestics 
to  Java.  We  know  the  English  are  enabled  to  come  in  competition  with 
us  in  the  South  American  markets  only  by  making  goods  resembling  ours, 
and  that  they  are  in  the  habit  of  sending  them  to  this  country  with  the 
stamps  of  American  factories  on  them,  so  that  the  most  experienced  are 
hardly  able  to  discover  the  fraud.” 

The  following  general  remarks  concerning  the  commerce  and  manufac- 
ture of  cotton  in  Europe,  are  highly  interesting — 

We  find,  says  the  New  York  Daily  Advertiser,  in  a late  Havre  paper  some 
interesting  statements  concerning  the  state  of  trade  and  manufacture  of 
cotton  in  the  different  countries  of  Europe,  and  some  estimates  concerning 
the  amount  of  land  and  labor  necessary  for  its  cultivation.  The  article  ap- 
pears to  have  been  published,  to  show  the  impolicy  of  a project  said  to  be 
meditated  by  some  of  the  ministry  ; that  of  increasing  five  fold  the  duties  on 
imported  cotton,  to  encourage  its  cultivation  in  Corsica,  and  to  lay  an  im- 
post on  its  manufacture,  for  the  benefit  of  agriculturists. 

The  amount  of  cotton  imported  into  Europe  in  1825  is  estimated  at  292 
millions  of  pounds  ; 212  millions  of  which  were  for  England,  and  57  for 
France  ; 167  millions  of  pounds  were  manufactured  in  England  and  54  in 
France.  England  exported  the  value  of  620  millions  of  francs,  and  France 
40.  The  increase  of  value  produced  ou  the  cotton  manufactured  in  En- 
gland is  stated  at  663  millions  of  francs  ; in  France,  262. 

The  land  occupied  by  the  cotton  fields  which  yielded  the  1,140,000  bales 
(or  292  millions  of  pounds),  imported  into  Europe  in  1825,  is  estimated  at 
380  square  leagues  ; and  the  number  of  cultivators  at  570,000.  On  an  esti- 
mate oi  their  families,  which  may  appear  too  large,  the  number  of  persons 
dependant  on  the  cultivation  of  cotton  for  support  is  set  down  at  2,890,000. 
About  10  cents,  (110  sous,)  is  supposed  to  be  paid  per  pound  for  cotton  on 
the  spot,  which  is  150  millions  of  francs  for  the  whole,  and  allows  each  cul- 
tivator 450  francs.  The  freight  and  expenses  are  estimated  as  equal  to  the 
first  value.  In  France  they  are  considerably  greater  than  in  England  ; and 
if  the  duties  should  be  increased  as  projected,  the  French  manufacturers 
would  have  to  pay  one  third  more  for  cotton  than  the  English,  and  of  course 
must  abandon  the  business. 

The  following  statements  are  given  to  show  the  extent  to  which  the  in- 
terests of  the  country  would  be  put  at  risk  by  a plan  like  that  proposed.  Not 
less  than  270,000  workmen  are  supported  in  France  by  the  cotton  manufac- 
ture. In  Europe  more  than  a million  of  persons*  are  estimated  to  be  depen- 
dent in  various  ways  on  the  commerce  and  manufacture  of  the  article.  The 
wealth  which  is  thus  produced  by  a business  unknown  thirty  years  ago,  is 
three  times  as  great  as  the  revenue  derived  by  the  emperor  of  Russia  from 


* Many  more  than  a million.  But  what  is  their  effective  force  through  scientific  power  ? Ed.  Reg. 


16 


his  fifty  millions  of  subjects,  and  five  times  that  of  the  house  of  Austria. 
The  cotton  imported  into  the  single  port  of  Havre  in  1824,  equalled  in 
value  the  whole  revenue  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples  and  Sicily ; and  when 
manufactured  far  exceeded  that  of  all  the  resources  of  the  Spanish  mo- 
narchy ! 

[Now,  if  the  manufacture  of  the  United  States  be,  at  present,  175,000 
bales,  or  say,  52  millions  of  lbs.  and  we  use  about  that  quantity,  it  will  ap- 
pear that  already  we  nearly  rival  France,  and  manufacture  about  one  sixth 
part  as  much  cotton  as  all  Europe  imports  ! Who  would  have  thought  this  ? 
The  amount,  will  not  appear  so  large  when  we  regard  the  quantities  used 
in  family  manufactures.] 


CIRCULAR 

Of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  of  the  Woollen  Manufacturers 
of  Massachusetts  and  the  adjoining  States , appointed  at  Boston, 
JYovember  7,  1826. 

Boston , November  11,  1826. 

SIR — It  is  about  three  years  since  the  friends  of  American  Woollen  Manu- 
factures were  addressed  on  an  occasion  similar  to  the  present.  A petition  to 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  at  that  time,  resulted  in  an  increase  of  du- 
ties on  Woollens  of  8 per  cent,  ad  valorem  ; and  the  same  bill  added  15  pr. 
cent,  to  the  duties  on  imported  wool.  Instead  therefore  of  obtaining  addi- 
tional protection  to  our  establishments,  the  operation  of  the  law  has  been 
injurious  to  the  interests  of  manufacturers  of  wool.  The  English  manufac^ 
turer  obtains  wool,  from  various  countries,  without  paying,  as  Americans 
do,  at  the  present  time,  30  per  cent,  duty  ; while  the  low  price  of  labour, 
the  greater  cheapness  of  the  raw  material,  and  other  causes  enable  him  to 
undersell  us  in  our  markets.  It  is  allowed,  that  the  duty  of  33^  per  cent 
on  imported  woollen  cloths  operates  in  favour  of  home-made  fabricks  ; but 
it  is  also  believed,  that  foreigners,  by  invoicing  their  goods  at  prices  much 
less  than  the  cost,  evade  our  revenue  laws,  and  escape  paying  the  duty  con- 
contemplated  by  them.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  fact  of  the  unprecedented  de- 
pression of  American  Woollen  Manufacturing  Establishments  is  undenia- 
ble ; arid  their  increased  distress  and  probable  ruin,  unless  ample  protec- 
tion is  speedily  extended  to  them  by  government,  are  clearly  foreseen. 

Impressed  with  these  alarming  facts,  public  meetings  of  Manufactures  of 
Wool  from  different  parts  of  New-England,  were  held  in  this  city  on  the 
14th  September,  23d  October,  and  7th  November.  A general  and  free  in- 
terchange of  facts  and  opinions  was  communicated,  the  subject  wa9  thor- 
oughly discussed,  and  suitable  resolutions  were  adopted.  It  was  unani- 
mously agreed  to  adopt  a Memorial  to  Congress,  setting  forth  the  unparal- 
leled distress  of  this  branch  of  national  industry,  and  earnestly  praying  for 
an  increase  of  duties  on  imported  Woollens.  The  undersigned  were  ap- 
pointed a Committee  to  correspond  with  manufacturers  in  this  and  other 
states,  and  to  solicit  the  aid  and  co-operation  of  all  persons,  who  feel  an  in- 
terest in  sustaining  American  manufactures. 

It  is  deemed  important,  that  there  should  be  a unity  of  sentiment,  among 
manufactures  of  wool,  respecting  the  protection  to  be  asked  of  our  national 
Legislature.  A general  belief  prevails  that  an  ad  valorem  duty  cannot  ef- 
fectually protect  our  woollen  manufactures.  Goods  purchased,  at  great 
sacrifices,  in  foreign  countries,  do  not  pay  duty  on  their  actual  value  ; and 
it  is  contended  that  foreigners,  who  have  agents  in  this  country,  invoice 


17 


their  goods  so  low,  that  they  pay  less  duty  than  American  importers.  The 
public  Appraisers,  though  sworn  to  perform  their  duty,  and  having  power  to 
add  to  the  invoice  prices,  whenever,  in  their  opinion,  the  goods  are  invoiced 
lower  than  the  actual  cost, are  believed  to  b6,in  some  of  our  seaports, unfaith- 
ful or  incompetent.  We,  therefore,  deem  it  absolutely  essential,  that  a 
square  yard  duty  should  be  levied  upon  the  leading  woollen  articles,  to  be 
progressively  increased,  as  the  manufacturers  of  our  own  country  acquire 
the  power  of  supplying  the  home  market  ; and  that  the  ad  valorem  duty  be 
augmented  also,  so  that  the  protection  intended  to  be  given,  under  the 
tariff  of  1824,  may  actually  be  realised.  There  is  no  evading  a square  yard 
duty,  and  without  applying  this  remedy,  to  the  existing  evil,  we  do  not  be- 
lieve that  the  revenue  will  be  secured  from  fraud,  or  the  just  prosperity  of 
the  woollen  manufactures  be  promoted.  We  do  not  undertake  to  say,  what 
the  minimum  price  should  be,  nor  what  advance  ought  to  be  made  in  the 
ad  valorem  duties.  We  cheerfully  submit  these  points  to  the  wisdom  of 
Congress,  confidently  trusting,  that  they  will  devise,  an  efficacious  method 
to  prevent  future  frauds,  which  lessen  the  revenue,  produce  an  unfair  ad- 
vantage over  conscientious  importers,  and  are  of  serious  injury  to  the  Ameri- 
can Manufacturers ; and  that  they  will  insure  the  protection,  which  their 
predecessors  aimed,  though  ineffectually,  to  accomplish. 

We  owe  it  to  ourselves,  to  be  furnished  with  strong  arguments  in  favour 
of  our  memorial,  that  we  may  be  able  to  convince  our  opposers,  if  any  there 
now  be,  and  retain  the  confidence  of  those,  who  wish  well  to  American 
manufactures.  It  is  not  now  a question  between  different  American  inter- 
ests ; but  one  between  Americans  and  Englishmen.  We  see  daily,  in  the 
advertisements  of  our  newspapers,  that  American  importers  are  relinquish- 
ing business  ? and  it  i>  well  known,  that  about  four-fifths  of  the  woollens 
imported  into  the  United  States, are.  on  foreign  account.  It  cannot  be  denied 
then,  that  English  manufacturers  find  it  for  their  interest  to  send  immense 
quantities  of  woollen  goods  to  this  country,  when  our  countrymen  cannot 
import  them  without  loss.  There  must  then  be  advantages  on  tire  side  of  for- 
eigners, which  our  importers  do  not  at  present  possess.  The  English  have 
the  experience  of  centuries  ! by  the  aid  of  immense  capitals,  low  duties,  and 
long  established  agencies,  they  are  able  to  procure  stock  very  much  lower, 
than  we  can  possibly  do,  without  an  injury  to  our  agricultural  brethren  ; their 
wages  of  labour  are  .greatly  below  ours  ; and,  especially,  their  government 
has  ever  extended  a guardian  care  over  the  woollen  interests.  Their  man- 
ufacturing establishmentss  are  much  more  numerous,  than  ours  ; the  capital 
invested  in  them  is  infinitely  greater;  the  interest  on  capital  is  much 
less ; and  their  enormous  machine  power,  equal  to  supplying  almost  the 
whole  world  with  goods,  is  not  suffered  to  be  idle.  Owing  to  the  general 
peace  in  Europe,  and  the  introduction  or  revival,  of  manufactures,  in  all 
nations,  the  English  are  unable  to  be  suppliers  of  other  countries,  as  former- 
ly ; consequently  they  have  accumulated  stocks,  with  which  they  frequent- 
ly crowd  our  markets.  They  export  the  surplus  of  their  fabricks  to  this 
country,  leaving  their  home  market  free  from  an  excess  of  goods,  and  pro- 
ducing a glut  in  our  markets,  which  paralyzes  the  exertions  of  our  manuiac- 
turers. 

The  old  prejudices  against  our  manufacturing  establishments  have  yielded  to 
the  light  of  truth.  Our  merchants  now  see,  that  domestick  manufactures  are  not 
hostile  to  commerce.  The  large  quantities  of  wool,  indigo,  oil,  and  other  mate- 
rials, consumed  in  them,  give  employment  to  our  ships  and  to  our  seamen. 
Whatever  conduces  to  general  industry  and  profit  is  beneficial  to  ah  classes  of 
the  community.  This  nation  is,  and  ever  must  be,  agricultural,  commercial, 
and  manufacturing.  These  are  the  pillars,  that  support  our  fabrick  of  govern- 
ment. Let  them  be  strengthened  equally.  There  is  no  error  greater  than  the 
notion  that  manufactures  are  injurious  to  the  agricultural  interests.  They  fur- 
nish a home  market  for  the  produce  of  the  husbandman*  and  are  the  only  r>r« 

3 


18 


tection  to  his  flocks.  The  agriculturalist  can  prosper  only  when  the  manufactu- 
rer thrives.  Blast  the  prospects  of  the  latter,  and  the  former  will  inevitably  suf- 
fer. While  we  are  content  then,  to  have  the  duties  on  imported  wooi  remain  as 
they  now  are,  though  against  our  present  interests,  we  call  on  our  agricultural 
brethren,  to  give  a generous  support  to  manufactures,  which  conduce  so  highly 
to  their  welfare. 

We  contend,  that  an  increase  of  duties  will  not  be  injurious  to  the  great  body 
of  the  people  by  manufacturers  exacting  exorbitant  prices  for  their  goods.  We 
believe,  the  permanent  interest  of  all  classes  of  the  community  is  promoted  by 
such  moderate  gains;  as  will  insure  industry,  prudence,  and  perseverance  ; and 
are  fully  convinced,  that  “ the  internal  competition  which  takes  place,  soon  does 
away  every  thing  like  monopoly,  and  reduces  by  degrees  the  price  to  the  mini- 
mum of  a reasonable  profit  on  the  capital  employed.’'  The  experience  of  this 
country  establishes  the  truth  of  this  position.  Notwithstanding  the  Tariff  of 
1816  imposed  prohibitory  duties  on  low  cottons,  they  are  now  sold  at  half  their 
former  prices,  considering  the  relative  value  of  the  fabricks  ; and  it  is  not  doubt- 
ed, but  the  fostering  care  of  government  over  manufactories  of  woollens  would 
tend  to  improve  their  quality,  while  it  would  eventually  reduce  their  price. 

We  contend,  also,  that  the  increase  of  duties  will  not  impair  the  revenue  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  predicted  by  the  opposers  of  the  prohibitory  Tariff  of  1816, 
that  the  non-importations  of  India  Cottons  would  lesson  the  resources  of  the  Trea- 
sury to  an  alarmiug  amount.  These  predictions  have  not  been  fulfilled.  The 
increase  of  our  population,  the  artificial  wants  of  the  inhabitants,  and  the  greater 
ability  to  purchase,  will,  it  is  presumed,  ever  continue  a demand  for  the  fabrics  of 
other  nations  ; the  wise  governments  of  the  old  world  will  lend  their  powerful 
aid,  as  hitherto,  in  enabling  their  subjects  to  rival  the  youthful  establishments  of 
this  country  ; and  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  “ the  interests  of  the  revenue  are  pro- 
moted by  whatever  promotes  an  increase  of  national  industry  and  wealth.” 

Let  these  considerations  be  pressed  upon  the  attention  of  our  countrymen, 
that  our  application  to  Congress  may  accord  with  publick  sentiment.  The  diffi- 
culties that  surround  us,  require  union,  zeal,  and  resolute  effort.  We  must  show 
our  necessity,  propose  just  remedies, and  enforce  our  claims  upon  the  attention  of 
our  country.  We  know,  and  feel,  that  our  establishments  are  unprofitable  ; that 
they  are  running  us  in  debt ; that  employment  in  many  factories  is  suspended, 
that,  without  relief,  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  greater  distress.  We  request  you  to 
give  all  proper  publicity  to  the  proceedings  of  the  manufacturers  in  this  city  and 
elsewhere  ; to  take  measures  to  have  the  public  informed,  through  the  public 
journals  of  the  actual  state  of  our  manufacturing  establishments  ; to  see,  that  all 
authentic  information  be  given  to  the  Representatives  in  Congress  before  and  af- 
ter they  shall  have  arrived  at  the  seat  of  government ; and  to  do  all,  that  pri- 
vate interests,  and  public  motives,  may  suggest  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
object  we  have  shown  to  be  so  necessary  to  preserve  us  from  ruin. 

We  recommend,  that  meetings  be  held  of  manufacturers  of  wool,  and  that 
memorials  be  prepared  and  sent  to  the  National  Legislature,  praying  for  an  in- 
crease of  duties  ; that  committees  be  appointed  to  confer  with  members  of  Con- 
gress personally,  for  the  purpose  of  urging  them  to  visit  woollen  factories,  where 
it  is  practicable,  and  of  exhibiting  to  them,  in  detail,  their  actual  condition ; that 
committees  of  correspondence  be  appointed,  of  persons  actually  interested  in  the 
manufacture  of  wool,  or  who  take  a deep  interest  in  its  success  ; that  delega- 
tions be  appointed  to  visit  Washington  to  explain  and  enforce  the  prayer  of  our 
memorial ; that  subscriptions  be  made  to  defray  the  expense  of  these  delegations 
and  the  publication  of  facts  ; and  that  all  honorable  and  persevering  exertions  be 
made  to  secure  to  our  establishments  that  protection  which  is  due  to  individual 
enterprise  and  industry,  when  they  advance  the  prosperity  of  the  community,  ^ 

and  are  so  essentially  connected  with  its  independence  and  welfare. 

We  will  thank  you  to  address  to  the  Chairman  of  this  Committee,  a report  of 
the  measures  that  may  be  adopted  by  yourself  and  the  manufacturers  of  wool  in 
your  neighbourhood,  on  the  subject  of  this  letter.  We  shall  be  glad  of  any  infor- 
mation, or  usfctul  suggestions  you  may  make.  The  business  requires  prompt  at-  ^ 

tention,  and  untiring  effort.  Let  every  manufacturer  use  his  utmost  exertions, 
confidently  relying  that  his  country  will  not  desert  him  at  his  utmost  need,  but 


will  render  justice  to  a class  of  citizens,  who,  while  prosecuting  their  individual 
enterprises,  have  done  so  much  to  enlarge  the  resources,  promote  the  industry^ 
and  increase  the  independence  of  this  country. 

We  Remain,  Respectfully,  Your  Friends, 

JONAS  B.  BROWN, 

JAMES  M.  ROBBINS, 

LEWIS  TAPPAN, 

JAMES  WOLCOTT,  Jr. 

JOSHUA  CLAPP, 


MANUFACTURES  AMD  COMMERCE. 


From  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  of  Nov.  5,  1826 

IT  is  not  the  object  of  the  writer  of  this  communication  to  make  any  re* 
marks  at  this  time,  upon  the  mistaken  opinions  which  a few  years  ago  were 
entertained  by  merchants  in  this  country,  in  regard  to  the  effect  which  a 
system  of  protection  to  American  manufactures  would  produce  upon  the 
shipping  and  commercial  interests  of  the  nation.  It  was  then  supposed  by 
many  of  our  most  intelligent  merchants,  that  such  a system  would  be  ruin- 
ous to  them,  and  blast  the  fairest  prospects  of  our  country’s  prosperity. 
The  system,  nevertheless,  found  friends  enough  to  carry  it  partly  into  opera- 
tion, and  the  happiest  results  have  arisen  from  it. 

It  needs  no  argument  now  to  prove  to  the  citizens  of  Boston,  that  com- 
merce and  navigation  have  been  greatly  augmented  by  the  establishment  of 
manufactories  in  New  England.  In  order  to  show  how  much  these  establish- 
ments contribute  to  the  prosperity  of  these  interests,  submit  the  following 
statement  of  facts  with  regard  to  four  of  the  woollen  factories  established  in 
the  county  of  Worcester ; each  employing  about  the  same  number  of 
hands,  and  making  about  the  same  quantity  of  cloth. 

These  four  factories  make  140,000  yards  of  Broadcloth  per  annum, which 
is  contained,  as  the  cloth  is  put  up  and  brought  to  market,  in  900  bales,  3 
feet  by  2,  and  would  occupy  no  more  room  in  a vessel  than  300  bales  of 
cotton.  This  is  about  one  fifth  part  of  a cargo  for  a vessel  of  four  or  five 
hundred  tons. 

Suppose  these  factories  had  not  been  erected,  and  these  900  bales  of 
cloth  were  to  be  imported  from  England.  Should  we  by  reason  of  this,  ex- 
port to  Europe  any  more  of  the  products  of  our  soil,  or  other  commodities, 
than  we  now  do  ? I think  we  should  not.  Now  let  us  see  then,  how  much 
employment  these  four  factories  afford  for  ships,  and  how  much  commerce 
is  benefitted  by  their  operation. 

There  is  annually  consumed  in  these  factories  360,000  lbs.  of  wool  ; half 
of  this  quantity  is  foreign  wool,  and  makes  1600  bales,  somewhat  larger 
than  bales  of  cotton.  There  is  also  used  in  them  140  pipes  of  olive  oil,  400 
boxes  Marseilles  soap,  80  cases  indigo,  60  tons  dye  woods,  40  hhds.  English 
woad,  100  bags  Sicily  sumac,  large  quantities  of  iron  for  machinery,  600 
barrels  flour  from  other  states,  and  a great  many  other  articles  of  minor  con- 
sideration. Thus  does  it  appear,  that,  by  the  establishment  of  these  facto- 
ries, eight  times  the  amount  of  tonnage  is  employed  for  the  supply  of 
articles  consumed  in  them,  that  would  be  required,  were  we  to  import  the 
same  quantity  of  cloths,  instead  of  manufacturing  them  ourselves.  1 have 


Committee 

of 

Correspondence. 


20 


raid  nothing  about  the  quantity  of  sugar,  molass*s,  eoftee,tea,  rum  and  other 
articles  consumed  at  these  establishments,  though  it  must  appear  plain 
to  every  one,  that  the  manufactories  in  New  England,  employing  about  one 
fourth  of  its  population, greatly  increase  the  trade  in  these  articles, as  well  as 
in  those  I have  before  enumerated. 

Why  then  do  not  our  merchants  feel  a more  lively  interest  in  the  success 
of  our  woollen  factories?  It  is  because  they  are  unacquainted  with  all  the 
facts  in  relation  to  them.  I was  not  even  myself  aware  of  the  immense  ad- 
vantages to  commerce,  growing  out  of  these  establishments,  until  I set  about 
these  calculations,  which  I know  are  sound  ones.  Let  them  consider  of 
this  subject,  then  will  they  come  forward  and  join  the  manufacturers  in 
their  application  to  Congress  for  an  increase  of  duties  on  woollen  goods. 

Results  no  less  beneficial  are  derived  to  agriculture  by  the  establishment 
of  woollen  factories  in  this  country.  It  is  not  my  purpose,  however,  to  go 
into  this  investigation  at  present.  I may  do  it  at  another  time.  R. 


From  the  Boston  Patriot , of  November  8,  1826. 

Mr.  Editor — In  this  age  of  intelligence  and  universal  improvement,  there 
is  no  one  subject  which  has  excited  my  astonishment  and  admiration  more 
than  the  increase  and  perfection  of  our  manufacturing  establishments. 

During  the  last  summer,  I undertook,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  to  visit 
several  of  the  large  and  small  manufactories  of  both  cotton  and  wool.  It 
was  a matter  of  surprise  to  me  to  witness  the  extent  of  many  of  the  large  es- 
tablishments, and  likewise  to  observe  the  order  and  system  in  some  of  the 
small  ones.  If  I had  been  told  fifteen  years  ago,  by  the  wisest  men  in  this 
or  any  other  country,  that  New-England,  in  1826,  would  manufacture  cot- 
ton and  woollen  goods  sufficient  to  clothe  its  ©wn  population  and  ship  a 
large  quantity  to  other  ports  of  the  United  States  and  to  our  kinsmen  in  free- 
dom south  of  us,  I should  have  esteemed  that  man  farther  from  probability 
than  that  Capt  Symmes’  theory  will  all  be  realized  as  true. 

1 am  one  of  those  men,  sir,  who,  a few  years  ago,  honestly  thought  that 
neither  this  or  any  other  country  could  manufacture  goods  suitable  to  cover 
an  American’s  back,  except  Great  Britain  ; consequently  when  the  ques- 
tion was  brought  up  in  Congress,  with  many  other  conscientious  men,  with 
great  zeal  opposed  the  laying  of  any  more  duties,  because  I supposed  the 
effect  would  be  to  ruin  our  commerce  and  impoverish  the  country.  The 
duties  were  laid  on,  the  manufacturing  interest  (at  least  one  branch  of  it) 
has  flourished  beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  its  friends,  and 
agriculture  has  flourished  with  it.  Now,  after  having  seen  the  operation  of 
this  grand  stroke  of  policy,  I confess  I have  changed  my  opinion,  and  am 
constrained  to  acknowledge  that  my  views  in  the  beginning  were  not  cor- 
rect. 

1 have  changed  my  mind  upon  many  points  of  national  policy,  and  I am 
ready  to  acknowledge  my  error  and  to  defend  my  present  opinions — The 
evidence,  after  a few  years  of  successful  experience  like  the  six  past  years, 
is  irresistible  to  my  mind.  The  tariff  I understand,  is  to  be  again  brought 
before  Congress  the  next  session,  for  the  purpose  of  doing  something  by 
which  an  impulse  may  be  given  to  the  woollen  trade  of  the  country,  which 
is  represented  to  be  in  a very  embarrassed  state  at  this  moment — it  is  said 
nothing  can  give  it  vigor  but  the  protection  of  the  government  income  form. 
I hope,  for  I believe  it  will  be  for  the  interest  of  the  country,  that  this  ex- 
tensive manufacture  may  receive  the  protection  it  so  much  requires.  There 


21 


has  been  great  complaints  made  in  and  out  of  Congress,  whenever  the  tariff 
has  been  brought  up,  that  there  was  a great  want  of  information  upon  the 
subjects  which  were  discussed  by  the  representatives,  and  from  New-Eng- 
land  there  appeared  to  be  as  much  want  oi  practical  knowledge  as  from  any 
other  quarter  ; it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  representatives  will  be  at  some 
pains  to  inform  themselves  upon  the  great  questions  which  will  come  before 
Congress  the  next  session,  so  that  the  views  and  feelings  of  their  consti- 
tuents may  be  well  understood. 

The  tariff  and  bankrupt  law  will  be  questions  of  great  interest  to  the  peo- 
ple of  New-England  as  well  as  all  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  I 
sincerely  hope  that  the  former  may  be  so  far  amended  as  to  relieve  the  wool- 
len interest,  and  the  latter  be  made  the  law  of  the  land,  so  that  honest  men 
may  be  protected  in  their  lawful  rights,  and  rogues  brought  to  the  punish- 
ment they  have  so  long  richly  deserved.  A MERCHANT. 


WOOLLEN  MANUFACTURES. 


From  the  Worcester  Spy. 


THE  fears  of  those  who  have  looked  with  alarm  upon  the  increasingly 
depressed  state  of  the  woollen  manufaature,  begin  to  be  realized.  Already 
some  of  the  largest  establishments  in  this  state  and  Connecticut  have  stop- 
ped running  a part  of  their  machinery,  with  a fair  prospect,  unless  a change 
of  times  should  take  place,  of  having,  ere  long,  to  suspend  their  work  en- 
tirely, or  of  doing  a business  which  must  end  in  their  ruin.  That  a remedy 
may  be  applied  for  these  evils, before  it  is  too  late, must  be  the  wish  of  every 
one,  who  would  not  willingly  see  an  important  branch  of  industry  render- 
ed unproductive,  and  a heretofore  fruitful  source  of  individual  and  public 
prosperity  entirely  dried  up. 

One  of  the  most  important  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  encouragement 
of  domestic  manufactures,  is  the  furnishing  of  a permanent  home  market  for 
our  produce,  not  subject  to  the  fluctuations  of  foreign  demand.  At  the  pre- 
sent time,  when  the  nations  of  Europe  are  at  peace,  and  the  demand  for 
our  productions  abroad  is  so  limited,  the  high  price  which  they  maintain, 
when  compared  with  other  articles,  can  be  attributed  to  no  other  cause 
than  the  success  which  has  hitherto  attended  our  manufacturing  establish- 
ments. If  there  is  any  one  branch  which  we  ought  to  cherish,  in  preference 
to  others,  it  is  the  woollen  business,  because  it  creates  a demand  for  wool, 
which  might,  in  a few  years,  become  as  important  a staple  of  the  northern, 
as  cotton  has  of  the  southern  states.  Our  climate  and  our  soil  are  pecu- 
liarly adapted  to  its  growth,  and,  what  is  an  important  consideration  to  the 
farmer,  it  requires  less  expense  of  labor,  in  proportion  to  its  value,  than 
almost  any  other  production  of  the  farm. 

We  apprehend  that  the  public,  generally,  are  not  aware  of  the  extent  to 
which  the  woollen  manufacturing  business  is  carried,  or  of  the  evils  which 
must  inevitably  flow  from  its  prostration.  If  none  were  to  be  affected 
but  those  who  are  directly  interested,  either  as  owners  or  laborers,  then  the 
evil  would  be  sufficiently  great  to  require  a remedy  promptly  applied.  A 
loss  to  the  community  of  some  millions  of  dollars,  and  the  throwing  of  thou- 


22 


sands  of  laborers  out  of  employment,  are  things  not  lightly  to  be  regarded. 
Yet,  these  are  but  the  precursors  of  the  distress  which  must  follow  in  their 
train.  The  loss  of  the  market,  which  the  establishments  make  for  wool, 
cannot  but  seriously  affect  every  portion  of  the  community.  Those  who 
recollect  the  universal  depression  of  business,  and  the  wide  spread  distress 
which  attended  the  partial  stoppage  of  our  factories  in  1817-18,  can  best 
judge  of  the  effect,  which  a return  of  those  causes  would  have  at  the  pre- 
sent time,  when  the  business  is  so  much  extended  beyond  what  it  then  was. 


Boston : 

E.  BELLAMY,  PRINTER,  CONGRESS  STREET. 


